Using WMA for DivX files

[Batman]

"I have some experience at ripping DVDs with WMA Audio. WMA 64kbit provides 128kbit mp3 quality, that means same audio quality and half space which can be used to store video at a higher bitrate. "

Wow! that is amazing Have you tried wma at higher bitrates? is there still an advantage over mp3?

[Diegoll2k]

To Enchanter: You're right, of course. The idea is that the WMA files you create can have your copyright info. Not Microsoft's (that way it would suck). What I meant is that this copyright info should be optional and visible to choose, and not the default option, because inexperienced users (I hate the word newbie) can lose all their music just by, let's say, upgrading from Win ME to Win XP (yes, unbelievable as it is, it happened to my neighbour). I'll stay with the DivX Version, sounds great IMO.

To Batman: I haven't tried, but there should be. I'll try and tell you tonight. At 96kps is higher than mp3 128kbps. Moreover, I tested mp3PRO at only 64kbps (the first release of the codec only supported that bitrate) and WMA 64kbps sounds better IMO. I don't know if there where any improvements of it in the new releases (the Nero mp3PRO plugin, for example), but WMA stands above all the rest, if you don't hate copyright issues.

[Diegoll2k]

Batman: I did some prior testings, and no, WMA can't keep up with its advantages when used at higher bitrates. WMA 128 kps is slightly inferior to 192kbps mp3, and WMA 160kbps is quite inferior to 256kbps mp3. However, if you're going to use 256kbps I suggest you keep the .ac3 file. which has multi-speaker sound (and may have a lower bitrate also)

Nevertheless, this test was useful because I saw that WMA V8 isn't as good as I've been told. In fact, at equal bitrates, I stay with the old version i use (musicmatch 6.1) There's a CLI version around, I'll test it, seems its better than plain V8. Is this so ?

[hacker_on_fire]

i got the codecs off the webpage but when i look in virtual dub i cannot see wma v8 so i can test and compare to mp3.

how comes?

[Enchanter]

To Diegoll2k,
The WMA file that I created should not have any protection anywhere in it (I don't remember ever setting it), and also I'm able to play it on another system. Also, I stated that it is superior at low bitrates (128kbps and below) compared to MP3. I have a 192kbps WMA file, and it does not sound any better than a 128kbps MP3 IMO. However, a test WMA file at 48kbps still sounds surprisingly good to me, whereas an MP3 file at that bitrate would have driven me insane.

To hacker_on_fire,
I don't think VD will pick that codec up. You will need to use command lines to create the WMA file. There is a help file that you can use to familiarise yourself with it. I saw a few GUIs for the encoder, but I've yet to try it out...

[Diegoll2k]

To Enchanter: Remember that bitrate differences are significant when having "powerful sounds" (heavy explosions, noise, etc)....what is the lesser part in movies. For speech, etc. a low bitrate is enough, you won't see great differences between 128kbps and 192kpbs. BTW, do you know what is this WMA V8 CLI codec ????

[Batman]

Since you guys are out experimenting and testing out new technology, I might as well join in and ask two questions:

does a wma audio file encoded at say encoded at 196 kbps have the same file size as an mp3 of the same file? or does the file size differ?

Secondly, does the wma codec offer something akin to vbr mp3? (where there is variable bitrate).

[Enchanter]

I'm testing out WMA slowly anyway. No rush in that. I have to say that MP3 still provides the best compatibility and is the least likely to present synch problem. The WMA2WAV program I mentioned earlier stated that in order to successfully play videos with WMA (Muxed with the help of this program), you need to use PowerDivX. It's fine with me, but not with the many people out there who probably don't know what PowerDivX is.

It's been reported that WMA and OGG consistently produce smaller filesize than MP3 at the same bitrate. I'll do some experiments around.

[Diegoll2k]

I don't expect WMA and MP3 filesizes to be equal, but they shouldn't be too different. I'll test it out.

I play DivX Movies in MicroDVD and WMP 6.4 and they play fine. Perhaps the guy who made WMA2WAV didn't check all players. Must have found one that had problems.

BTW, there isn't anything like VBR on MP3.

And does OGG Vorbis support multi-channel sound ?

[hacker_on_fire]

To Encanter : I see wot u mean

Does n e body know if wma supports multi channels

Also i think it would be very compatble cos every PC (nearly not all) has windows 98+ with a net connection therefore being compatiable. Also if the machine does not have the codec wmp6.4+ will download it. Also if a PC has below win 98 then its unlikely to be of high spec.

[Diegoll2k]

But serious computer users have both Linux and Windows installed, they won't like having two copies of each song, won't they........

And don't forget 'bout Mac users.

WMA doesn't support multi-speaker sound